Searching for Hodja

One day, a man came to Akshehir and wanted to see the Hodja, who was famous as a great funny trickster. He saw a man leaning on a wall and asked him if he knew where the Hodja was.

This man said that he was busy at the moment leaning against the wall so that it would not fall down, but if the man would do his job he would go and look for the Hodja and call him.

The man said O.K. and leaned against the wall. He waited and waited but the other man did not return.

He told some people passing by, of the situation. When he described the man the people began to laugh and said to him: Didn't you believe that the Hodja was a joker? That was the Hodja to whom you spoke.

TIT for TAT

When the Hodja was repairing the roof a man called him from below.

What do you want said the Hodja.

Come down for just a minute, he said. I'll tell you something!

The Hodja got down and the man said: Can you lend me some money?

Come, said the Hodja, for just a minute up above.

The man came with him onto the roof and the Hodja said:

I have no money!

Let's think together

One day the Hodja saw a garden and entered. There he saw many kinds of fruits and began to put them in his bag.

At this moment the owner of the garden arrived and cried: What are you doing there?

You know the storm we had yesterday, said the Hodja. It blew me here.

And who broke off this fruit?

I wanted to hold on to the branches and they fell down.

And who put this fruit in the bag?

I was just thinking of that, said the Hodja. Come on, we'll think together!

Where the cofin goes

One day one of the men of Akshehir died. His wife was crying. Oh, my husband! Where have you gone? There is no light, there is no food, there is nothing!

When the Hodja heard this, he ran home and said to his wife.  "My wife! Open the door! The coffin is coming to our house!"

Yawning

One day, the Hodja went to another village. Nobody offered him something to eat, instead they asked him: "Hodja, why do people yawn?

There are two reasons: One of them is tiredness, the other is hunger.

After yawning for a while he finished up his words:  I'm not tired!

Immigrant

One day, a thief came to the house of the Hodja and took everything he had except the blanket which covered him.

When the Hodja saw the thief carrying all his things away, he put his blanket over his shoulders and followed him.

When the thief arrived at his own house, he turned back and saw the Hodja.

What are you doing here? he asked.

What am I doing here, said the Hodja, you ask a thing like that? Didn't we move to this house?

Hodja's writing

One day a man asked the Hodja to write a letter for him.

Where will the letter go? the Hodja asked.

To Baghdad, said the man.

I cannot go to there, the Hodja told him.

But you don't have to go. The letter will go there, said the man and the Hodja explained: Nobody can read what I write. Therefore I must go there to read it.